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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25896754">I Know</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RinLeonhart/pseuds/RinLeonhart'>RinLeonhart</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Old Guard (Movie 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Mild OoC, possible crack</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:48:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,954</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25896754</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RinLeonhart/pseuds/RinLeonhart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Andy gets sick. Nile takes care of her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Andy | Andromache of Scythia/Nile Freeman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>113</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Know</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Welcome to another round of sugary sweet tooth rotting fluff. I had a dream that wouldn't leave me alone until it was typed out and, well, this happened. This was in no way, shape or form, supposed to happen. Sorry-not-sorry-but-a-little-sorry. Also going to tag this for mild OOC and possible crack because I have zero idea what Andy would be like if she was sick, I just thought this was too adorable to pass up. Quite frankly, I crave any and all domestic fluff fics with all of the Guard characters.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Andy?” Nile knocked lightly on the bedroom door as she tentatively called out.</p>
<p>Sunlight shone brightly through the cabin windows of their safe house and Nile’s only answer was the soft tweeting of the birds outside. It was definitely unusual that Andy hadn’t made an appearance outside of her room yet, given the time of morning, and Nile was starting to feel a growing sense of worry. Should she leave the older woman alone? Surely she would come out of her room when she felt like it, but what if something had happened? Nicky and Joe had left yesterday to do some wine tasting thing down south, but would be back this afternoon. What would they do if they came back and found that Andy had somehow died on Nile’s watch? What would Nile do? What if Andy made a break for it in the middle of the night and decided to hop out of the window because Nile had been hovering around her too much?</p>
<p>“Andy?” She tried again, a little louder and pressed the side of her face to the door, straining her ears for any signs of life inside.</p>
<p>Nothing.</p>
<p>Nile sighed and squared her shoulders. She was going to have to do something.</p>
<p>“Okay, well, I’m coming in,” she called out, reaching for the handle of the door. “Please don’t be dead,” she muttered a little quieter and opened the door.</p>
<p>Inside, the room looked relatively unused. No clothes on the floor, everything looked tidy and clean. The blankets were in a large pile on the bed and a pillow was threatening to fall off the edge, but everything was where it was supposed to be. No sign of Andy. Nile eyed the bathroom door warily, wondering if Andy was perhaps in there and whether she was going to have to bust in on the other woman doing something embarrassing. She would probably never live that down. But at this point, Nile’s sense of unease was expanding past her sense of propriety. She would do it if she had to.</p>
<p>“Andy, please don’t make me-”</p>
<p>The blankets on the bed shifted and Nile screeched, jumping in the air with her hand clutched to her chest like a life line.</p>
<p>“<em>Jesus! </em>Andy! What the fuck are you trying to do? Give me a heart attack?” Nile sighed and tried to calm down the heart that was currently trying to climb out of her throat.</p>
<p>A mop of brown hair poked its way out of the blankets as Nile found Andy’s blue gaze glaring at her. Normally the ferocity of that glare would cause her to at least rethink her strategy, but it was a little hard to take the Scythian seriously when she had half of her head sticking past a blanket. Andy grunted and moved the rest of her head out, chin pushing the blanket down past the end of her face.</p>
<p>“I’m dying,” Andy croaked, her voice low and gravely.</p>
<p>“I doubt that. Well, technically that’s true and we’re all dying. Cells degenerate every da-”</p>
<p>Andy’s head disappeared back into the blankets.</p>
<p>Nile paused and stared at the pile on the bed. <em>What</em> was Andy even doing? Andy didn’t… hide in blankets all day. Was there something actually wrong with the older woman? Did her mortality just finally sink in? It was obvious her retreat back into the blanket cocoon was meant to halt any conversation, but Nile needed answers. She strode toward the bed and after a moment of hesitation, sat delicately on the edge.</p>
<p>“Okay… you’re dying. Would you care to elaborate?” Nile’s voice was more tentative than she had ever heard herself be, but quite frankly, she had no clue what was even happening. Nile would probably be more confident if Andy was throwing a punch at her than… <em>this</em>. Whatever this was.</p>
<p>“You don’t need to deal with this. No training today. Go away.” Andy’s muffled response caused Nile’s brow to furrow.</p>
<p>“Deal with <em>what?</em> Andy, what’s going on?” Nile frustration was becoming evident. “What’s wrong?” She reached a hand out and laid it on top of a blanket where she approximated Andy’s arm might be. Nile wasn’t really sure if Andy was a particularly tactile person, but at this point Nile wasn’t sure she cared. She would risk being shoved off the bed if she got some damn answers.</p>
<p>Andy shifted under the blankets and stuck her head out again. “I think I’m actually dying,” she murmured hoarsely.</p>
<p>Actually, Andy didn’t look so hot. She had dark circles under her eyes and her usual healthy glow was replaced by a sunken pallor. One section of her hair was sticking up and her eyes were red rimmed. Quite frankly, Andy looked like she <em>could</em> be dying.</p>
<p>“Oh, Andy…” Nile whispered and reached out to brush the back of her hand against Andy’s forehead. Her skin was hot. She definitely had a fever. Andy closed her eyes at the touch and opened them again, impassively watching Nile. “You’re probably not dying. You’re sick. You should get checked out by a doctor.”</p>
<p>“I’m dying,” Andy insisted stubbornly. “I know what dying feels like.”</p>
<p>Nile chuckled and at Andy’s miffed expression, laughed harder. “I know it feels like you’re dying, but you likely just picked up a bug from the last time we were in town. We’ve been having some shitty weather lately too. I don’t know which got you, but it’s a little impressive that you’ve managed so far without catching something. We’ll get you cleaned up and get you checked out.”</p>
<p>“No doctor.”</p>
<p>“Andy…”</p>
<p>“No doctor.”</p>
<p>Nile sighed. She swore Andy could be as frustrating as the day was long, but there was a time and place for it. If she needed to, she could probably pick Andy up and run her to the doctor against her will if she absolutely needed to. She didn’t necessarily want to because Andy would likely never forgive her though.</p>
<p>“Okay, we’ll see how today progresses. If you get worse, you <em>will</em> go to the doctor,” Nile warned her. “But for now, let’s get you into something comfortable and onto the couch. I know exactly what we should do to get you better. Let me grab something, I’ll be right back.”</p>
<p>Andy frowned at her, eyes narrowed suspiciously, and watched as Nile disappeared and reappeared with a pair of cotton shorts and a hoodie in her hands. Nile tossed them onto the bed.</p>
<p>“Put those on. They’re the comfiest things I own. You’ll thank me.” Nile was pretty sure most of Andy’s clothing repertoire consisted of jeans and tank tops, which, in Nile’s opinion, were not very comfortable.</p>
<p>“I won’t,” Andy groused, clutching her blanket tighter around herself.</p>
<p>“Come on, cranky lady.” Nile made to grab the blanket, but thought better of it when she felt those blue daggers penetrating her again. Okay, maybe Andy was still <em>a little</em> intimidating, even when she was sick. “Up!” she said in a sing-song voice, remembering how her mother would get her out of bed when she was little.</p>
<p>Andy didn’t budge.</p>
<p>“You have five minutes to make yourself decent and come out of this room or that must mean you’re too sick and have to go to the doctor,” she told Andy as she stood and cross the room to the door. Nile looked back over her shoulder at the lump on the bed. “You can bring the blanket if you want.”</p>
<p>Nile hummed to herself as she made her way to the kitchen to start brewing some tea. She suspected Andy had a sore throat and it would soothe the ache. Nile quite enjoyed bossing Andy around. Probably wouldn’t get to do it very often, so she might as well enjoy it while she could. She got their small kettle out and began to boil some water.</p>
<p>Sick Andy was a little dramatic. It was incredibly adorable. Truth be told, Nile really wanted to pinch Andy’s cheeks earlier, but realized that she wouldn’t live through it. She would come back, but it was probably better not to poke the already suffering bear. Nile had never seen this side of their stalwart leader before. Andy had a generally quiet demeanor, which she was pretty fond of. Maybe more than fond, if she was honest with herself, but that was for another day. Despite her grouchiness, Andy was letting Nile see her in a more vulnerable state. She felt pretty proud about that. Maybe she had finally proven herself enough to the team. They were all hundreds or thousands of years old, did some amazing things… they were all badasses. Nile was… Nile. Nile was a badass in her own right, but she couldn’t really compare to someone who lived through the Crusades or was worshipped as a god.</p>
<p>As if her thoughts summoned her, Andy appeared in the room wearing Nile’s clothes with the blanket hanging around her shoulders. Nile’s heart skipped a beat. She had on her usual stoic expression, but Nile could tell she was miserable.</p>
<p>“Couch,” Nile said, nodding towards the piece of furniture as she poured the tea into two cups. “Almost done.” She hesitated before snagging a bottle of whiskey and pouring a little in Andy’s cup. It always worked for Nile when she was in the Marines.</p>
<p>She carried the two steaming cups over to the couch and gently sat down next to Andy, wordlessly passing her a cup. Nile resituated herself, folding her legs under her and quietly blew on the tea. The warmth from the cup emanated into her fingers as she watched Andy take a reluctant sip from her cup. Nodding to herself, Nile snatched up the remote and turned their little TV on, flipping through the channels.</p>
<p>“How does this help?” Andy grunted. Despite the irritation in her voice, Andy was still doing what Nile told her, so… Nile was going to run with what she could get away with at this point.</p>
<p>“<em>This</em>,” Nile wiggled her eyebrows at the sulking woman next to her and continued, “is a time honored tradition amongst children of the twenty first century. Well, minus the whiskey I put in your tea, anyway.” Andy looked at her cup with renewed interest. “When you get sick, it means you get to stay home from school and watch TV. Normally you would watch a game show or something, but I have the feeling that’s not your style.”</p>
<p>“Not exactly,” Andy quipped and took another sip of tea.</p>
<p>“We have more options now than we did when I was a kid. Daytime TV was its own level of hell, but it beat going to school.” Nile kept channel surfing until she found what she was looking for. Unbeknownst to Andy, Nile knew Andy had a soft spot for absolutely terrible horror movies. She found out one night when she couldn’t sleep and caught Andy watching TV in the middle of the night with rapt interest. It was some science fiction monstrosity with intensely fake gore that Nile never in a million years would have pegged Andy to like.</p>
<p>She pointedly ignored Andy staring at her and pretended to watch the movie. Eventually she had to break the silence though.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry you’re sick,” Nile offered with an apologetic smile, meeting Andy’s eyes. She was still staring.</p>
<p>Andy turned her head and coughed, grimacing. She looked back at Nile with a small shrug.</p>
<p>“Not your fault,” she husked and finished her tea, setting the cup on the table in front of them. Nile rose swiftly and picked up the cup, intent on refilling it. “I can get my own tea, you know,” Andy groused at Nile’s back.</p>
<p>“I know,” Nile said simply, continuing her work and placing the new steaming cup back on the table within Andy’s reach before settling back down on the sofa. “I can do something nice for you every once in a while. It doesn’t mean you’re incapable, just… that you have people who are willing to help.” She shrugged and tilted her head toward Andy. “That you’re the type of person people want to help. It’s a compliment, if you’ll allow it.”</p>
<p>Andy reached for her cup and took a slow sip. Nile could tell she was thinking about it, but wasn’t sure how she would react. Andy had a certain amount of pride that would not allow itself to be stepped on. Nile wasn’t sure how she would react and realized she was holding her breath.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Andy murmured, placing her cup back on the table. “For helping me,” she added. “You didn’t have to. We all take care of each other in different ways. This is just… new.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Nile repeated with a smile and they both turned back to watch the movie. A blonde woman was screaming as she was stabbed, but managed to kick off her attacker and run.</p>
<p>“This is completely unrealistic, you know,” Nile finally said, unable to not comment on the disaster of a slasher flick as blood flashed on the screen.</p>
<p>“I know,” she replied, the corner of her mouth quirking upwards. Nile rolled her eyes. “But it’s nice to have a… reprieve.” Andy yawned and tried to hide it.</p>
<p>Nile hummed and finished her tea. “You’re tired. You should lie down.” She moved to stand up and give her the full couch, but froze when Andy’s hand brushed her wrist.</p>
<p>“Stay.” Andy’s face was as calm as ever, but Nile could distinctly hear the ‘please’ even if it wasn’t spoken. She didn’t think Andy’s pride would allow her to beg, but it was the closest thing Nile had witnessed and she felt her heart melt a little for the woman who was usually so indomitable. She must be feeling dreadful.</p>
<p>“Okay.” Nile nodded slowly. “You should still lie down and get some rest though. Fluids and sleep count for a lot when you’re ill.”</p>
<p>“I am feeling a little better.”</p>
<p>Andy paused before seemingly making up her mind about something and shifted to lie on the couch, effectively placing her head on Nile’s lap. Nile’s chest warmed at the sight of the fierce Andromache the Scythian nestled on the couch, kicking the blanket to cover her feet. Nile fidgeted the blanket and made sure Andy was tucked in before hesitantly reaching her hand out, pausing to hover over Andy’s head. She wasn’t really sure the touch was invited, but if Andy didn’t like it, she figured the older woman would tell her, right?</p>
<p>“You don’t have to try to prove yourself,” Andy murmured sleepily, her cheek warm against Nile’s thigh.</p>
<p>Nile froze, staring down at the woman using her as a pillow. She felt something shift inside her and starkly came to the realization that she understood why people would worship Andy as a god, would go to war for her, would give up their lives for her... Nile would do all of those things. This crazy, millennia old lady knew exactly how to tug on Nile’s heart strings in a way that she hadn’t encountered before. She had dated and loved, but nobody was quite like Andy. Nile was also surprised to find that she was okay with that.</p>
<p>She smiled and ran her fingers through Andy’s hair, marveling at how soft it was. Nile had wanted to do this for some time, but never thought she would ever get the opportunity to without Andy threatening her with dismemberment. Maybe she really was finally growing on the other woman.</p>
<p>“I know,” Nile hummed and continued stroking Andy’s hair as she turned her attention back to the TV without really seeing it.</p>
<p>“S’nice…” Andy yawned again and buried her face deeper into Nile’s lap as the younger woman trailed her fingers down Andy’s neck, gently massaging the muscles there. Nile could hear Andy’s breathing even out as she fell asleep and decided that she wouldn’t trade today for anything. Andy had been alone and strong for so long that she deserved a few minutes of peace and being taken care of.</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Nile jolted awake when the door to their safe house banged open and the boys entered, throwing their bags on the floor. She wasn’t sure if she jostled Andy awake or if the Scythian was abruptly awakened by Joe and Nicky as well, but Andy groaned and turned away from the open door and buried her face in Nile’s stomach. Nile blinked furiously and blearily looked up at the two men now looking at them with concern.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong?” she questioned and cracked her neck. Sleeping upright on the couch was not the most comfortable of positions. She still wasn’t willing to move though.</p>
<p>“I think I should be asking… you… that?” Nicky said and dropped down to his knees next to the couch, putting a hand on Andy’s back.</p>
<p>Joe closed the door and came to stand behind the couch, gazing down at the three of them.</p>
<p>Nile yawned. “She’s okay. Just under the weather. Caught a bug somewhere." She reached down and felt Andy's forehead again. "Fever has gone down, but if she’s not feeling better by tomorrow, she’s going to the doctor.”</p>
<p>“I'm not,” Andy grunted into Nile’s stomach.</p>
<p>Nicky snickered and rubbed her back a bit before standing. “What can we do to help?”</p>
<p>“Soup would be great,” Nile supplied with a smile.</p>
<p>“On it, little boss!” Joe threw over his shoulder with a grin and made his way to the fridge. Nile rolled her eyes. She knew he was going to tease her about this for the next decade. She glanced down at Andy who was already trying to fall asleep again and decided it was worth it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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